A multimer (24-mer) of this enzyme forms the core of the multienzyme 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate dehydrogenase complex, and binds tightly both EC
1.2.4.4, 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate dehydrogenase (2-methylpropanoyl-transferring) and EC
1.8.1.4, dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase. The lipoyl group of this enzyme is reductively 2-methylpropanoylated by EC
1.2.4.4, and the only observed direction catalysed by EC
2.3.1.168 is that where this 2-methylpropanoyl is passed to coenzyme A. In addition to the 2-methylpropanoyl group, formed when EC
1.2.4.4 acts on the oxoacid that corresponds with valine, this enzyme also transfers the 3-methylbutanoyl and S-2-methylbutanoyl groups, donated to it when EC
1.2.4.4 acts on the oxo acids corresponding with leucine and isoleucine.